Redemption of a Trainer
by TwiliDragonRin
Summary: The old Champion of Johto, Leaf, went missing right after she moved away from Twin Leaf Town. Being adopted from out of nowhere and no one knowing anything about his past, Red sets out with a new friend, Charmander. But his past will catch up to him, revealing who he really is. A Nuzlocke story. /Rated T for strong words and violence/
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Starting Again**  
_**Red's Point of View**_

* * *

"So if you see this girl, please contact the police immediately." The TV showed a picture of a girl. The girl in the picture had light brown, brunet hair, and brown eyes. She was wearing a light red skirt, with a baby blue top, a blank undershirt, turquoise socks and a white sunhat that resembles somewhat of a Premier Ball. "Now back to Catherine with the weather-"

I turned off the television during the man's talking. I sit up from my bed and threw my TV remote against my pillow. "I can't believe-" I cut my sentence short and turn to look out my window, seeing little kids running and playing all about in the grass. I take a deep breath and stare at the closed down school that would soon open. "I can't believe they are still searching for that girl. It has been a year already…almost two at most, why don't they just give up…." I pull my red hat down, trying to cover my eyes from any light. "She's been humiliated enough already….."

"Red!" my surrogate mother called out. "Why don't you come on down, it's time for lunch!"

A small smile formed upon my lips. At that moment, I raced down stairs and run to my chair in the kitchen. "Hi mom," I said as I smiled at her, keeping the pitch in my voice from rising.

"Afternoon Red, as usual, you stayed up all night playing your pokemon games and just woke up now. Am I right?" She glanced at me, smiling as she handed me a plate of scrambled eggs, with warm toast covered with butter and bacon on the side.

"As usual mom, you know me so well," I said as I started jamming her delicious eggs in my mouth. If anything, she would always cheer me up when something was always troubling me. Even though she knows not much about me over the year she adopted me, she still treats me as if I were her own.

"You know…Professor Oak is giving away only three pokemon for those who are eligible, and think that are ready to set off for a journey." Arceus damn, I forgot that he's already giving out pokemon, and he's only handing out three! "If you go and receive a pokemon from him, please come back and see me one last time.

I stare at her once I finished my plate. She gave me a heartwarming smile and I give her a smile back. "Okay mom, I promise. But when I come back from my journey, I'll be the Kanto Champion!" she giggles softly and I noticed that I was already up on my feet and raising a fist. "Uh…heheheheh…."

"Hurry and put your shoes on or you'll miss your opportunity."

I run back upstairs and find my black and red shoes. "Good, but…I still can't believe I'm…even after…," I sigh and grab my backpack then tie my shoes. "I hope I can get a Bulbasuar." I love grass type pokemon, much better than water and fire. I check myself to see if I have everything I need then I run out of the house as I yell out to my mom, "I'll be right back!"

* * *

As I was running to Prof. Oak's lab, I heard a screech for help. I turned and it came from the forest that led out of Pallet Town. I looked over at the lab then at the road and took a deep breath. I knew I was late already so why not. I ran towards the road out of the town to find the person calling for help.

I got there to see a little orange lizard lying on the ground, if I remembered, it was called a Charmander. I couldn't see the girl that shouted out for help, but the flame at the tip of its tail was starting to die down. It lay next to a tall patch of grass, surrounded by two Rattata, and a Spearow. It was a three against one fight and that little Charmander is losing…badly.

"Hey!" I yelled out at the three pokemon. They turned to me, glaring with hatred in their eyes. I got a bit scared but I didn't back off. "Leave that little Charmander alone!"

"Get that boy!" shouted the Spearow.

H-hold on, hold on, hold on…the Spearow shouted out human-arg! The Rattatas' launched at me, they tried to scratch my eyes out. The scratching hurt so much but they were busy attacking me and not the Charmander. It weakly looked at me; I could see tears in the little pokemon's eyes.

"Hurry! Go back to Professor Oak and stay safe!" One of the Rattata's sharp teeth gazed at my arm and I screamed. And no…it wasn't a normal guy scream you'd expect, it was a scream that comes only from a girl.

The Rattatas that were on me were burned and ran away. I looked over and it was the Charmander that saved me. The Charmander glares over at the Spearow, about to spit out another Ember attack.

"Okay, okay we'll go!" the Spearow said. It flapped its wings and flew away.

I sat up, still amazed that pokemon are talking human language. Maybe I'm imagining things but…the speech patterns sounded so real to me. I looked over at the Charmander and saw it limp over to me. "Are you alright?" I asked it.

"I-I'm fine…just a little bruised all over…." I blinked, my eyes grew wide, the voice on the Charmander was so feminine. So this Charmander Is a girl and, that could mean-

"Were…were you the one who called out for help?"

Her eyes widen. "How…how did you know I called for help? Can you…understand me?"

"It seems so…and I thought all of you could speak our language," I sighed. "Arg, my arm, it hurts so much!" I held my left arm, seeing blood streaming down. The Charmander also groaned in pain.

"W-we…need to get to the professor…," she said weakly.

I picked her up with my right arm and started limping towards the lab.

* * *

I kicked open the door, since I had no other way to get in, with me holding the Charmander in one arm and bleeding in the other. I limped over to the professor who only looked horrified with how I and Charmander looked like.

"Oh Arceus," he said. "What happened to you both, and Charmander, why were you out of your ball?" He led me to a seat and took out bandages. "I thought you'd be with Gray to Viridian City by now?" Gary…he's Oak's grandson, and the town's favorite boy. He was so nice to me but after the school incident thing, he stopped playing nice guy and started acting like a jerk.

"W-well…the thing is…about that…um…." I felt the little one tremble. "He sorta…dumped me and took the Squirtle instead... Then I was attacked by Spearow and two Rattata, then this boy saved me…."

The professor let out a huge sigh. "Gary…ah how he will never learn." He finished bandaging my arm, and started to treat her wounds.

"Wait, professor, how can you understand Charmander?"

"People who have bonded with pokemon, not one, but many are able to open their hearts and communicate with any pokemon, no matter what the language." He glanced at me. "Why, can you understand them? Only those who've started a pokemon journey before can speak to them at a young age."

At that point I started to get nervous, I can feel sweat running down the back of my neck. "Oh of course not professor pff, I don't even own a pokemon, let alone when on a journey!" My speech went by so fast ugh I know he wouldn't buy it.

"I see, well…since I can already see that this Charmander has already grown attached to you and that you are able to communicate with her, I'll let you keep her as her new trainer."

My eyes lit up, "R-Really?" I stared down at the Charmander who was staring back at me, happiness in her little blue eyes.

"Knowing my grandson, he would've actually released this Charmander so she's catchable again," he said, holding out a pokeball in his hand."Here, you'll be a great trainer to her, I know it."

"Thank you ever so much," I said as I took the pokeball. "You're going to be mine…and I promise…I will never treat you the same way that Gary did." I lightly tapped the ball on her forehead; the little lizard's body turned into a bright red energy and was zapped into the ball. The button blinked three times then clicked. "I promise…Lucy."

* * *

Caught: 1  
Deaths: 0  
Team:  
Lucy-Charmander


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Trouble at the Lab**  
_**Red's Point of View**_

* * *

After I introduced Lucy to my mom, we were on the road to Viridian City and I couldn't get Lucy to stop singing the song. Oh Arceus how I hate it when someone sings.

"We're on the road to Viridian City," she sang cheerfully.

I'll admit…its kinda cute how she sings, she sounds so beautiful and so happy. I guess Gary wasn't treating her so well. Then again, he did abandoned her and let her fend for herself. People tend to say that a Charmander are really hard to get along with and really hard to raise. But I can feel that Lucy is a special kind of Charmander.

Then I felt Lucy's paw tug on my hand. "Master…when are we going to get to the next town….?" she asked.

"It won't be long now, we just have to up this road and-huh?" I stopped walking and looked around.

"Is something wrong master…?" She looks around too, not knowing what I was looking at.

"Someone is hiding in the grass…." I looked behind me and a Pidgy was there, staring at me. A Pidgy…so that's what I kept hearing.

"Master, may I fight this one?" Lucy asked, staring up at me.

I smiled, "Sure, just…don't go too far on the little guy."

Lucy smiled at me, and faces the Pidgy. The two just stared off, not moving, or anything but staring in silence. I was wondering what was gonna happen. I remembered that I had to command Lucy to actually battle. Silly me, haha.

"Lucy, Scratch attack!" She ran at the Pidgy and lashed her claws against the bird's wing. It cried out and tackled Lucy to the ground. "Get that Pidgy off and finish it off with an Ember attack!" Lucy used her feet and kicked the Pidgy in the stomach, sending it flying. I looking up at it, she spit out a tiny ball of fire at the bird. The Pidgy fell to the ground and lay there, not moving an inch. We stood there, our eyes wide.

"Um…master…"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should go…before someone sees us….."

"I agree….." I picked up Lucy and ran off. "I hope no one will put us in prison for this!"

* * *

We arrived at the Poke Mart and right off the bat I was amazed by all the items in the shelves. I have never seen anything like it, so many Potions, Pokeballs, and Antidotes! But I don't have much money either…only a measly 3000 pokebucks. I held Lucy's paw and walked over to the counter. Before I could say anything, the accountant's eyes brightened.

"Hey boy, did you come from Pallet Town?" he asked me.

"Um…yes, why do you even ask?"

"Because I have Oak's parcel for him and I need you to take it to him." He bent down and held a medium sized box in his arms.

"Oh…but I was going to Pewter City-"

"Please! Trainers will be here soon and I can't go out! I beg of you Mister!" He looked so desperate, my Arceus I just can't say no.

"Okay…I'll take it for you-oof." He just immediately handed me the box.

"Thank you so much Mister, I don't know how I can ever repay you" he said, smiling ever so brightly.

Then we left the mart. I was just standing there, holding the parcel in my arms. I don't know if I was obvious of how pissed I was because Lucy just held my hand a little tighter.

"Don't worry Master…I don't think everyone will ask you for favors while we're away," Lucy had told me at the moment.

"I'm not so sure about that Lucy…." I sighed and we started to walk all the way back to Pallet Town to Professor Oak. Thank Arceus for those ledges though.

* * *

Lucy opened the laboratory's door and walked towards the professor. I also stepped inside the air-conditioned room and took in a breath. I took several steps towards the back of the lab to find Gary and Prof. Oak talking to each other.

"So I finally got my Squirtle to learn water gun and it took forever." He turns to me and smirks. "Oh hello Red, what took you so long?"

"Gary, please stop annoying the hell out of me." I walked over to the professor and handed him the package. "Here professor, the cashier told me to give you this package."

"Ah, yes thank you so much Red. " He takes the parcel to a nearby table and sets it there. Opening the package, he takes out several…pokeballs? "It's the latest pokeball in stock."

"So why was I asked to get it?"

"Haha, I was just lazy my dear boy. " Gary laughed at how stupid it all was. "But I called you here Gary to take some of the pokeballs with you," he gives Gary five pokeballs. "Let's not forget about you too, Red." He also gave me five pokeballs that I gratefully accepted.

"Well we better get going to Pewter City, come on Lucy its time to go."

"Yes master!" the Charmander runs up to me and climbs onto my back.

"Yo Red! Is that my old Charmander?!" By then, Lucy tensed up. She must've forgotten that she used to be Gary's.

"Yeah? Why do you want to know?" I tried to keep myself from glaring. Gary pushed me out of the lab and stepped outside himself. "What are you doing?!"

"What the hell are you doing with my Charmander?!" He slammed me against the wall and grabbed Lucy from her neck.

"Her name is Lucy! And she doesn't belong to you anymore!" I pushed him off and took Lucy into my arms. "You were the one who left her back in the woods! Did you know that she could have died?! She was lucky that I came by to save her!"

"I left her only to get her to become stronger!" he said as he pulled on her tail. He picked her up by the tail as Lucy started crying out. "The stupid thing couldn't even beat a Rattata. You should have seen it, it was pathetic."

I kicked his leg and he let go of Lucy's tail. While she fell I caught her and held her closely to me. "Look jackass, don't you dare to that again! Don't you dare touch Lucy or I will hurt you myself!"

"Master…can we please leave…?" she said as she clutched onto my shirt tightly. I turned to walk away but Gary pulled my arm and threw me onto the ground. "Master!" Lucy called out.

"I will be taking back my Charmander and since I have Squirtle, I might as well ask my grandpa for the Bulbasuar too." He sent out his little Squirtle.

"So you want a battle, is that it?" I got up on my feet and stepped back. "Lucy, let's show that jackass what you can do!"

"O-of course master!" Lucy jumped in front of me and growled softly.

"Haha! Do you really think your Charmander, a fire type, can beat my Squirtle, a water type?" he scoffs. "You still have a lot to learn Red!"

"Trust me Gary, I know more than you think." I looked down at Lucy and smirked. "There is more to just type advantaged. Lucy! Use Scratch on Squirtle!" Lucy ran towards Squirtle and pulled back her arm.

"Squirtle, withdraw inside your shell." With that call, his Squirtle brings his head, arms, legs and tail inside his shell. Lucy lashes her claws on the shell and it did nothing to it. Squirtle jumps out of his shell and tackles Lucy away. I heard her cry out.

"Ember, Lucy!" Lucy breathes in and shoots out a small fire towards Squirtle. But once that flame hits Squirtle, it only brushed it off.

"Wow Lucy, Master really is right about you," Squirtle says as he crosses his arms in annoyance. "I can't believe that I'm wasting my time on you."

"I'll make you take that back!" Lucy growls.

"Water Gun, Squirtle!" Squirtle opened up its mouth and water shoots out of it, moving its way towards Lucy.

"Dodge it, Lucy!" Lucy tries to move away but the Water Gun hits her directly. "Lucy! No!" I called out. She falls on the ground and cries out again. "Lucy, you have to get up!" Lucy pushes herself up as she sways a bit.

"Heh, I told you that puny Charmander is weak!" Gary scoffed. "With my strong Squirtle, it won't stand a chance! Now Squirtle, end this stupid match with Water Gun!" Squirtle once again shoots out water out of his mouth.

_'Think Red…think of something,'_ I thought to myself. _'Lucy will lose if you don't think of something.'_

The Water Gun hits Lucy directly again. "LUCY!" My eyes widened as I saw blood spit out of Lucy's mouth. She falls back on the ground and trembles badly on a puddle of water. The Squirtle walks closer to Lucy and gets ready to shoot out another Water Gun. "Gary, call of your Squirtle now! You both won so call him off!" He just stood there as his Squirtle stepped on Lucy's neck.

"…M-Master…"

I couldn't handle it anymore, I kicked that Squirtle off of Lucy and took her into my arms. "I've got you…don't worry…."

"Squirtle!" I hear Gary say. "Red, I'll kill you!"

Getting on my feet, I held Lucy close and ran away from there, I ran away from Pallet Town. I couldn't stop to rest, I knew Gary was going to come after me for kicking his Squirtle. I couldn't take any chances and stay at the Pokemon Center but I had to take care of Lucy's wounds.

"Lucy…? Are you okay?" I asked her as I slowed my pace. Looking down, I saw blood covering my sleeve. "O-Oh dear Arceus…." She was bleeding from her mouth.

"M-Master…i-it's so cold…." She said weakly. The flame on her tail seemed to dim down.

"You're going to be okay…I promise…." We entered into Viridian City and quickly looked for the Pokemon Center. "Where is it…where is it?! Aha!" Without thinking, my legs carried me towards the Pokemon Center. I frantically ran towards Nurse Joy and held out Lucy to her. "Nurse Joy! Please help my Charmander, she's dying!"

"Oh my…don't worry, I'll take care of her, Chancy, bring the gurney, stat!" Her Chancy rushes to us as she pushes in the gurney. "We need medical treatment for this Charmander, Chancy." She gently takes Lucy from my arms and lays her in the gurney. "Let's go Chancy." They take her away into the emergency room.

I walked to the hallways that showed Nurse Joy and Chancy treating Lucy. I closed my eyes and hid my face in my hands.

* * *

Caught: 1  
Deaths: 0  
Team:  
Lucy - Charmander (F)


End file.
